Chapter 181: A Problem Solved

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ned asked, forearm leaning on the ridge of the tiny window. To his left, on the horizon, was their destination, the Du'kki mountain. His mind still shaking, yet he put a wall between him and the twisted feeling, momentarily stopping the feeling of nauseating. 

Bars of light making their way through the gap of the window. The sunlight lit Sasani's overwhelming figure. Tightened dress. Her waist showed a perfect curve. Upper chest wildly open, an open invitation to Ned. Tanned skin turned pale over the effects of the sunlight. But Ned thought that's how Sasani dressed as a noble, not as Swift.

"No," Sasani said, "are you sure you're doing this?"

"I can't go back," Ned said. "If ever I have the chance, I'd rather do this alone."

"But you don't." Wild eyes looking at Ned. Worry still lingering between her eyes, but now fading like the trees from the distance that slowly formed into a speck of black dot after the carriage madly rode its way into the open street. The side of the streets was crowded but not the road. Perhaps Ned was too early, or perhaps he rode carriage with the Tarragon's emblem that no one bothered to block their way or get ahead of them.

Ned nodded and said, "I need a team this time."

"And after this?"

"I'll go to where the wind will bring me."

Sasani kept on fiddling the end of her skirt above her knees. She seemed anxious to not even look at Ned.

Then she said, "After this, I'm leaving."

He said, "Where to?"

She answered, "Windvale Academy."

The road went flat, and the only time the carriage stopped was when a group of merchants passed the crossroad. They're near the Tarragon Manor. The carriage would stop twice, and the next turn would be the manor.

Sasani's ginger hair was tied to a bun behind her head. Ned wondered if where did Sasani put her things, surely she didn't leave her mask in the manor, or her leather dress. Aside from her necklace and earrings, Sasani wasn't fond of wearing jewelry. Then, at the bottom of the wooden bench was a compartment, small enough to fit a brown bag, but big enough that Ned saw the bag even though it was being hidden from the prying eyes.

The carriage turned left, the horse neighed, and stopped. The horse was ivory in color, and the hair was as thin as babies growing hair. It was elegant, like the rest of the horse of Bogblot and Sudden Plate. They export horses in exchange for rare commodities like wild monster skin, iron for weapons, and mana stone. The first two were common and common knowledge, but the stones weren't. They were rare that only a few selected nobles had supplies.

"When?" Ned said, voice sharp and manly textured.

She answered, "A month from now." She then added, "Goodbye freedom. Goodbye Swift."

"It's for the better," Ned said, assuring Sasani. Which the latter declined with her eyes narrowing, almost mocking upon Ned's words. "Don't you trust your father?"

"I trust him," she said. "But it seemed that he doesn't trust me."

The conversation ended here, then the carriage stopped across a massive house built of both wood and steel on a semi-circular pattern. Outside, a banner on red hangs at the edges of the massive double door. The banner bore the Tarragon's emblem, indicating that none should enter except the households.

But Ned entered with Sasani, with prying eyes, with murmurs, and not having a Tarragon's crest.

But Sasani was more than enough to stop the provocation by the other hunters, not even the manor guards dared to stop the two as they entered the second door and proceed directly to their left, to where the room of big shots was, to where Twali had been waiting, and assuming that Ned would come in alone.

And the bigshot was there, where Twali had been waiting, with his back facing the three while looking at the armaments. Ned didn't come alone. Together, Ned and Sasani proceed inside the room.

Armaments hung to both edges of the wedged shape room. And it wasn't just Twali inside, Master Mond ( the Sudden Plate's Master of the House manor) sitting in the middle of the sleek brown table—a stack of paper to his left, quill to his right, and his name on marble maybe ivory in the middle of the table; placed to show who's the boss (when Twali's not around). Master Hunter Gold Ranked Mon-Mond Thane was written.

By the title, Ned wondered if what would be Twali's rank if ever he was a hunter. Do they even know that Twali was once a slave?

Glare.

All, except Twali, glared at Ned. Sasani stood ahead of him, and he stood behind her like his bodyguard.

Across Mond's table where the two hunters sitting on the sofa. The sofa formed a shallow indention in the middle, the red turned nearly brown, indicating that it has been used quite often.

The two, Ned assumed Gold in rank as their necklace glow deep-yellow under the light, stood upon seeing Sasani, and bowed, and scoffed to Ned, and smiled back to Sasani, and sat back.

The first one across Mond's table was around his thirties, no wrinkles yet, but going there. He wore his hair with confidence, his yellow shirt crumpled as he slumped his back on the soft cushioned chair, he wore shorts like it was summer. He glared again at Ned.

The other one, beside him, had hair unkept for quite some time, messy, and eyes tainted with brown over black, while he wore his Hunter's clothing with pride, he sat with difference than the hunter beside him. He was stout but regal. He threw a quick glare at Ned, and back munching a stick over his lips.

"Lady Sasani," Twali said after turning to face her and bowed as low as he could. Black suit stretched. Both hands clipped on both sides. "What a surprise."

"Ned," he then retracted and gave Ned an acute angle bow, which Ned doesn't mind.

All the way the bow, Mond, the summer shirt guy, and the messy hair looked at Twali with surprise.

Ned then said, "Twali." And bowed, acute angle, which Twali doesn't mind.

Surprise.

Mond, summer-shirt guy and messy hair shuddered to see Ned after the bow, and after hearing Ned with no title given to Twali.

Then Ned thought, Twali must be on par with Edwin the Knight.

Twali gave a distinctive wave to the three, all returned their faces to normal. But their eyes bore the same surprise.

"Lady Sasani," Twali broke the silence. Lance gleamed behind him. "What a pleasant surprise to see you with someone."

The three nodded looking at their lady.

"We met," Sasani said, looking at Ned over her shoulder. Not a smile was given, she was different. She wasn't Swift or Sasani. She was Lady Tarragon. The fake one might be the real one. Three lives, confusing, and unavoidable. "I heard about the raid, tell me the details."

"B-but," Mond came in between. He stopped midway, remembering it wasn't his place when Twali and Sasani were talking.

Ned stood behind Sasani with muse. What a play, he thought.

Sasani thew a glare at Mond, and back at Twali.

"Lady Sasani," Twali said, "I may not be the right person to do so. I just handle the in-betweens. Master Mond?"

"Yes!" Mond said with enthusiasm. The two hunters shook their heads. What a leech, if Ned could interpret their eyes.

"The raid will begin today," he said. "If our employer here decided who he will choose to be included."

The way he said the word employer was enveloped with a trace of spite.

"I believe our employer got a name?"

"Name?" Mond repeated Sasani. "And… yes, yes. We have all the resources we needed, thanks to Master Ned here."

Ned nodded, trying to join in the play Sasani has orchestrated. Dusky blue eyes flared under the bright light. The room smelled citrus this time, expensive citrus. Surely not Twali, and Ned doubts the smell came from the messy hair hunter.

"And how will you proceed with the raid?"

"Proceed?" Mond said, looking at the messy-hair hunter, one man across him. "Bram?"

"Huh," Bram said, the messy-hair guy with a toothpick between his lips. It seemed that he had just woke up from a pleasant dream. "Proceed?"

"Bram," Mond said, voice hinting that he sat in the middle with an ivory name.

Superiority. Command. Order. He got it, Ned thought. What a surprise.

Bram nodded looking at Ned back to Sasani back to Ned back to Sasani. Wasn't sure who to proceed with.

Sasani nodded over his shoulder. To Ned then.

"Ah," Bram said, rolling the toothpick between his tongue. "We will proceed when we have twelve members. Six each team, and each team will be led by Gold Rank Hunters. That would be me, and Arm."

The summer-shirt guy nodded. Telling Ned 'I am Arm'.

Ned nodded. He remained quiet on the end side.

"But we can't proceed without Lord Sven's approval." It was Arm who spoke.

"Twali," Ned said, which made the three, even Sasani turned heads toward Ned. It seemed that none have the courage to call Twali by his name alone.

But Twali doesn't mind and he said, "We might have a problem here, Ned. We can't find an opponent for you." He continued, "It's either the opponents are too weak, or too strong for you."

"What does my father want?" Sasani said before Ned could respond.

Ned frowned.

"A Game," Twali said. "A Game is what Lord Sven wants. Lord Sven is being Lord Sven of course."

Sasani sighed, shoulders shrugged.

The three nodded, and looked at Ned, back to Twali.

"So he wants someone to spar with Ned?" Sasani asked.

Twali nodded.

Sasani continued, "I might know someone who's on par with our employer." She then spun around and smiled at Ned. A smile only Sasani could make. Not Swift, or Lady Tarragon. "I'll go and look for him," she said over her shoulder and left the semi-circular room.